HC Deb 24 January 1984 vol 52 cc494-5W
Mr. Barry Jones

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the major road schemes in Wales, and their estimated costs, which have failed to start on their previously published and planned starting dates, and their newly revised start dates.

Mr. John Stradling Thomas

The following major schemes were shown in "Roads in Wales 1980" as provisionally expected to start before the end of 1983 (subject to resources being available) and have not yet done so:

Scheme Estimated cost (November 1982 prices) £ million Current provisional start forecast
A5 Glyn Bends Tynant 2.98 1986–88
A55 Dwygyfylchi-Penmaenbach 19.45 1983–85
A483 Ruabon Bypass 12.10 1983–85

Mr. Barry Jones

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the expenditure in real terms of the road building programme in Wales to the latest available date compared with the 1978–79 road building allocation.

Mr. John Stradling Thomas

In cash terms, outturn expenditure on new construction and improvement of trunk roads (including structural maintenance) in 1978–79 was £56.9 million; the estimated outturn for 1983–84 is £136.5 million. Using the gross domestic product deflator with the base year of 1982–83, the 1978–79 figure would have been £92.5 million, and that estimated for 1983–84 would be £130.0 million.

Mr. Barry Jones

asked the Secretary of State for Wales which of the A55 dual carriageway schemes have been delayed; what are the estimated costs; and when they are likely to be started.

Mr. John Stradling Thomas

The following A55 schemes have not yet started or now seem unlikely to start in the periods provisionally indicated in "Roads in Wales 1980":

Scheme Published 1980 provisional start forecast Cost (November 1982 prices) £ million Current Provisional start forecast
Dwygyfylchi-Penmaenbach 1980–83 19.45 1983–85
Penmaenmawr Bypass 1984–87 31.12 1986–88
Llanfairfechan Bypass 1984–87 10.85 1986–88
Rhuallt Hill Improvement 1984–87 8.40 After 1988